¡Después de mucha lluvia, ha vuelto el sol a Graná!

The sun has returned to southern Spain and it finally feels like spring (or rather, I should say "summer") again here in Granada! Beginning on the Thursday of Semana Santa, we had nothing but rainy, cloudy and chilly days for two weeks straight. How depressing, especially after such a warm and sunny start to April! After only the first three days of walking around with soaking wet shoes (thanks to the hundreds of puddles that took over the streets and sidewalks alike) and battling the other pedestrians for sidewalk space (as we all tried to maneuver the same small space with umbrellas and heavy coats), I was already sick of the rain and found myself with a slight cold. However, I'm happy to report that I'm feeling much better and that since Saturday afternoon, it's been hot and sunny again!

The better weather couldn't have come at a better time because tomorrow, my dad and brother Joey arrive! I'll be waiting for them tomorrow morning in the airport as their plane is set to land in Granada at 9:10am. I can't wait to see them- it's crazy to think that eight months have passed since the last time we were together! I have a few things planned for their week-long visit (including a visit to the Alhambra on Friday afternoon, a weekend trip to Málaga, and a visit to my school on Monday morning) but for the most part, I am looking forward to just relaxing around Granada with my dad and brother. I'm fairly positive that lots of tapas are going to be on the agenda, so I'll just make sure to balance out all the eating with lots of walking around the city! My dad's been to Granada before (he came during Semana Santa in 2009) but it's Joey's first time ever in Spain and I'm excited to show him around my favorite place! I know that we're going to have a great week!

Viajando por Andalucía: Alhama de Granada y Antequera

By now, you all know how much I love to travel, especially through my beloved southern Spain. Well, during the past two weeks I've had the opportunity to travel to two places in Andalusia where I'd never been before. The first place I visited was Alhama de Granada, a small town surrounded by rolling hills and fields of olive trees that's located just under an hour outside of Granada. The second, Antequera, is a small city situated about two hours away from Granada.

Alhama de Granada

On Saturday, April 16th, my friend Sussu and I traveled to the town of Alhama de Granada with one of her classmates, Alberto, and one of his friends (whose name I unfortunately can't remember! Oops!). Sussu and Alberto were helping his friend with a project that he was working on for his job. So, long story short, Sussu invited me along for the day and the four of us headed out to the town of Alhama de Granada. The small and quiet town, home to only 6,000 residents, was important to both the ancient Romans and the Moors, and it contains architectural influences and remains from both periods in history. In addition, the town looks out over some truly spectacular scenery. Alhama de Granada is perched along the edge of a deep limestone gorge known as Los Tajos (literally, the gorges) and at the bottom of the gorge the Río Alhama flows. We enjoyed great weather and Sussua and I had an absolutely wonderful time walking through the town's many small squares and narrow streets. However, what I liked most about the town were the views from Los Tajos. I can't even begin to imagine living in one of the many homes facing the gorge and looking out my window every day at such a lovely sight. Without a doubt, Alhama de Granada is one of the prettiest places that I have seen so far in Spain... just have a look for yourselves!

The "covered way" connecting the Iglesia Mayor de la Encarnación to the vestry. The church dates back to the 16th century.

Roses on the fountain :)

One of the homes that flanks the Plaza de los Presos.

The House of the Inquisition.

My lovely friend, Sussu.

Just some of the rolling hills and olive trees that surround the town on all sides.

Quiet, peaceful streets.

I'm in front of the tajo (gorge) that Alhama de Granada is famous for. The views were absolutely incredible!

Sussu and me.

Approaching the Iglesia del Carmen.

Pila de la Carrera, the fountain next to the Iglesia del Carmen.

The church (Iglesia del Carmen).

The square in front of the Castillo de Alhama.

The Castillo de Alhama (Alhama's Castle).

Isn't Alhama de Granada lovely? It was so quaint and peaceful- the perfect place for a relaxing and unhurried afternoon stroll!

Antequera and El Torcal

Last Monday as I was sitting in the teachers' lounge in between my classes, I overheard two of my coworkers, Gracia and Jose Antonio, discussing a field trip that they would be taking later on that week with some of their students. As I listened, I realized that I didn't know anything about the area about which they were talking. After they finished their conversation, I approached Gracia and asked her just what she and Jose Antonio were going to do on the excursion. She was more than happy to tell me about the city of Antequera and the surrounding area, even calling Jose Antonio back over so that he could join our conversation. Ten minutes later, I not only had learned a great deal about Antequera, but I also had an invitation to join the group on their trip! Both Gracia and Jose Antonio agreed that I should come along and see for myself! So, on the morning of Wednesday, April 27th, I headed to Alba Longa an hour earlier than normal to catch our bus to Antequera, a city located in the province of Málaga.

We had two reasons for visiting Antequera: first, to see the dolmens found just outside of the city's limits. Around 11:00am, we arrived at los dólmanes de Antequera (dolmens). Dolmens are prehistoric burial chambers that date back thousands of years. Prehistoric people from the Copper and Bronze Ages transported dozens of huge slaps of rock (that they had to cut and chisel out from nearby hills) to construct their large and impressive burial chambers. This was no easy task without the aid of modern technology as the rock slabs weigh hundreds of tons and each dolmen contains more than 25! While the frames are made entirely of rock, the entire dolmen was covered with earth to form a "mound" shape. The engineering implications for constructing such enormous burial chambers some 4,500 years ago are just amazing! Antequera is home to three dolmens- the Viera dolmen, the Menga dolmen and the dolmen de Romeral- and we saw all three. The first dolmen that we saw was the Viera dolmen. It's a corridor tomb consisting of a long, straight passage that is divided into two sections. At the end of the passage is the burial chamber. The second dolmen that we visited was the Menga dolmen. The Menga dolmen is larger than the Viera and is comprised of 32 enormous stone slabs, the largest of which weighs 180 tons! Both the Viera dolmen and the Menga dolmen date back to 2,500 B.C. The last dolmen that we visited was the dolmen de Romeral. This dolmen is located slightly further outside of the city than the previous two dolmens and it is slightly more modern, having been constructed around 1,800 B.C. Another important difference is that unlike both the Viera and the Menga, the Romeral was constructed with thousands of small rocks as opposed to giant stone slabs.

The second reason for visiting Antequera was to explore its nearby Paraje Natural Torcal de Antequera. This natural reserve is famous for its truly weird, yet wonderful, rock formations. About 160 million years ago, the entire area of El Torcal was underwater. As the water slowly dried up and flowed to other areas, the limestone was eroded by exposure to the elements, leaving behind the rock formations visible today. Nowadays, El Torcal contains several marked hiking trails and look-out points that all offer incredible views of the reserve and surrounding area. After arriving at El Torcal, we gathered in a conference room in the information center to watch a brief video describing the landscape of the area and the many types of animals and plants that can be found along the trails. Then it was time for an afternoon hike, my favorite part of the day! Jose Antonio and Gracia led me and the students along the ruta amarilla, a path that winds through the park and makes for about a two-hour hike. The trail was muddy and slippery but I had a great time taking in the sites and observing all the strange rock formations. El Torcal was unlike anything I'd ever seen before! Halfway through our hike, we stopped for a quick picnic lunch and at 5:00pm we returned to the information center where our bus was parked and waiting to take us back to Armilla. It was a long day (and of course I ended up with a slight sunburn! I swear, Spain's sun is stronger than ours back home!) but I had a wonderful time with my coworkers on the field trip! And now, photos!

The Alcazaba de Antequera, a fortress dating back to the 14th century.

Antequera, one of Andalusia's "pueblos blancos."

To the right of this photo is the "Peña de los Enamorados" (Rock of the Lovers). It's famous because if you look at it closely, it resembles the face of a sleeping woman. Not surprisingly, there are many legends surrounding the Peña in the history of Antequera.

The first dolmen that we visited, the Viera Dolmen.

Jose Antonio explains the historical and archeological significance of the dolmens.

The entrance to the Viera Dolmen.

The second dolmen that we saw, the Menga Dolmen.

Inside the Menga Dolmen.

Evidence of spring as we make our way to the third and last dolmen we would see that day.

The Dolmen del Romeral.

Our second stop of the day, the Paraje Natural Torcal de Antequera.

Can you spot the fox?

The landscape in El Torcal truly "other-worldly"!

Some of Alba Longa's students during our two-hour hike along the ruta amarilla.

Which way?

Breathtaking scenery.

Never forget to look up :)

Stopping for a picnic lunch in the shade of a large tree.

Wildflowers along the path.

Finishing up the last leg of our hike.

The result of millions of years of erosion.

Making our way to one of El Torcal's many look-out points.

El mirador.

Looking out over the town of Villanova de la Concepción. To the far right, under the skyline, the city of Málaga is just barely visible.

One last photo of the bizarre yet fascinating rock formations that make up El Torcal.

Both of my day-trips were unexpected and unplanned, but I had a wonderful time exploring these two beautiful and unique locations in southern Spain! I have seen so much over the course of these past eight months and the more I see of southern Spain, the more I realize that I still have yet to discover! I'm not sure what other pueblos I'll find myself exploring in the two months that I have left abroad, but I'm excited at all the possibilities!

Semana Santa 2011

The week of Sunday, April 17th to Sunday, April 24th was Semana Santa (Holy Week) here in Spain. Holy Week is a time in which Christians around the world commemorate Jesus' last week on Earth before being crucified on Good Friday and rising from the dead on Easter Sunday. While Semana Santa is a national tradition throughout the country, hands-down "los andaluces" have the most well-known and spectacular Semana Santa celebrations compared to all of Spain's other regions. Three Andalusian cities in particular- Sevilla, Málaga and Granada- are best known for their elaborate and extra special Semana Santa celebrations and traditions.

This year was my second Semana Santa in Granada. Two years ago, as a study abroad student, my Dad visited during the first half of Holy Week and we traveled to Munich, Germany together. However, this year I didn't really feel like traveling anywhere (and to be perfectly honest, I don't exactly have as much money as I did back in September, hehe!). Instead, I chose to spend the entirety of the week relaxing and enjoying the festivities in Granada. As I mentioned before in previous posts, I had Holy Week off from work and that meant that I had a total of ten days of vacation on my hands. What did I do during these ten days? Well, not much :) I really relaxed for the better part of the week, sleeping in everyday and then spending every morning putzing around my apartment, reading and watching movies on my computer. It was wonderful! Almost every afternoon after lunch, I got together with some friends just to meander around Granada, taking photos of the city, eating ice cream, grabbing a coffee or a tapa (or two, or three, or...).

Of course, as we were out and about around Granada we stopped and watched whatever Semana Santa procession we happened to stumble upon, which ended up being many. On Palm Sunday (April 17th) I spent the afternoon with three of my friends, Sofia, Hanna and Bianca. We decided to get some ice cream and walk around the city, taking pictures and enjoying the nice weather. Well, shortly after getting our ice cream at a small ice cream shop in Plaza Trinidad, we began to hear the sounds of drums and a marching band approaching the plaza. One of the Palm Sunday processions was set to pass through Plaza Trinidad in thirty minutes at 6:30pm. We, too, decided to stick around and watch the procession, this particular one called Cautivo (Captive), pass by. As people gathered in the plaza to see the procession, we managed to get a good spot where we could see everything.

As is the case with most Semana Santa processions, the procession began with its banda de música (marching band). Following the marching band came both the penitentes and nazarenos. These men and women dress in tunics and hoods of varying colors (the colors depend on the particular procession). The penitentes are members of the procession that are repenting their sins by carrying one or more crosses over shoulder. Many carry more than one cross at a time, depending on the amount of repenting that they wish to do, and many walk barefoot through the streets for the entirety of the procession, which often lasts more than four hours. The nazarenos are also members of the procession and wear costumes similar to those of the penitentes. However, there is one major distinction between the penitentes and the nazarenos. Nazarenos wear pointed hoods called capirotes while penitentes wear non-pointed hoods called antifaces. Many children also take part in the processions, dressed as priests or followers of Christ, by carrying small candles or baskets of candy. We saw lots of adorable little boys and girls accompanied by adults throughout the entire procession, carrying small crosses and tiny unlit candles. After the penitentes and nazarenos passed by came the highlight of every procession, the paso. The paso is a giant float, often weighing more than a ton, that contains an imagen, or sculpture, of the Virgin Mary or Jesus Christ. The pasos are the main attractions of each and every procession and they are absolutely beautiful, intricately and elaborately decorated with candles and flowers. Most of the pasos depict particular scenes from the bible, especially those relating to Christ's last humanly days on Earth and the grief and agony experienced by Mary. The pasos are carried carefully and slowly by groups of men and women known as costaleros who wear thick thick belts and what appear to be turbans on their heads. The costaleros are hidden below the pasos with the others as they carry the paso. Any given float can have upwards of 36 costaleros beneath the paso due to their sheer size and weight. Usually there are more costaleros than will fit beneath the float because often at certain times during the procession they will change to give the others a rest. While some processions have only one paso, many have two, one being an image of Christ and the other being an image of the Virgin Mary. Every procession is maintained by a cofradia or hermandad. These are best described as types of religious brotherhoods whose members all take part in the planning and the execution of the procession from their respective churches.

Here's a short passage from a website that I came across that describes the processions and how they're organized: "The skill and expertise behind the [processions] rest with the religious fraternities and brotherhoods. They have the responsibility of maintaining the [pasos] as well as coordinating the penitents and musicians. Sometimes up to two thousand members of a brotherhood take part, some carry candles, rods or banners depending on their level of seniority. The most senior is the president who carries a golden rod. [...] The entire scene is alive with color and sound, thanks to the polychromatic variety of tunics, hoods, ensigns and banners. Emotions are stirred by the slow rhythmic beating of the drums and processional marches, the swaying paces of the bearers and the poignant wailing of the "saeta" which is a sacred song, similar to flamenco and sung through the Holy Week processions. Even if you are not religious, it is difficult not to be moved, the atmosphere is so vital and poignant. For some it is a fun filled fiesta time, for others a week of ritual and reflection. Without a doubt, Holy Week in Andalucia is a tradition that is an integral part of the culture and appropriately reflects the spirit of the people."

And now, a few photos from the procession, Cautivo, that Sofia, Hanna, Bianca and I witnessed on Palm Sunday! 

Ready to watch the Palm Sunday processions (with ice cream, of course)!

First comes the banda de música.

Bianca, Hanna and Sofia.

Next come the Penitentes, dressed in tunics and hoods and carrying crosses, candles and flags. The penitentes' hoods are called antifaces and they aren't pointed.

At the same time come the Nazarenos. The pointed hood worn by the nazarenos is called a capirote and it symbolizes repentance and grief.

The first paso of the procession containing the imagen, or sculpture, of Jesús Cautivo.

In this photo, you can see the feet of some of the costaleros, the men and women responsible for carrying the paso. The man in the suit is the capataz, the person directing the costaleros and offering them words of encouragement throughout the procession.

A mujer de mantilla.

The procession's second trono making the first turn into Plaza Trinidad.

The second paso contained the imagen of María Santísima de la Encarnación. The silver and gold poles supporting the palio (canopy) that covers the image of the Virgin Mary are called varales.